S05.E06: Jenn

[Chip]

A woman with a terminally ill husband learns healthy habits so she can live longer for her children; chef Rocco DiSpirito offers quick and healthy breakfast options.

[WhineandCheez]

I think last night a cable employee made a mistake and loaded the tape for a Surrealist or Dada experimental movie instead of loading up the Extreme Weight Loss tape.  Because I could not have logically seen Heidi repeatedly punching one of her clients in the face. That could not have occurred on national TV.  Words Fail.

 

Ok this may be a bit bitchy, but was anyone else getting the message that the husband hid the severity of his illness from her until a year into the relationship??  No wonder he is all happy to have her, he wrangled himself a caretaker. (not to say she isn't beautiful and seems very nice.  I hope to hell that besides the nutritional counseling we never see, there is also a shit-ton of therapy we never see)

 

If this lady could lose all that weight while are taking care of a dying husband, and 2 little kids (I assume she was on leave from the 911 job--at least I hope) then WTF is my excuse?  I need Heidi to come over, obviously, and punch the Cheeto right out of my lips.

Edited July 15, 2015 by WhineandCheez

[MakeMeLaugh]

I think this was the best and worst episode I've seen. Best because of Jenn's ultimate goal, which was not a number on a scale but to outlive her husband's probable early death by becoming healthier, and she definitely did that. And those are the cutest kids I think I've ever seen on my tv screen--please someone in Hollywood, snap them both up for a remake of Family Affair. And--okay, that's all the best.

Worst because as Whineandcheez says above, get Heidi off my tv screen. What was all the Jillian Michaels' channeling going on there? Since when does this show go all Marine Corps to tear 'em down before we build them back up? Please Show, less Heidi, less makeup on Heidi, more Chris.

Why didn't Jenn's biological father come to the "graduation" like he promised? Did her mother ever speak? Supersad about her baby brother.

Edited July 15, 2015 by MakeMeLaugh

[Suzysite]

As someone who has the same 3 diseases the husband has I was pretty shocked to hear it was terminal.  I looked up what he actually has and found he's not "dying from RA". but he has a severe case of spinal stenosis, a complication of RA, and many people have it with out the RA.  Wow.  Talk about scaring people with arthritis out of their wits!  

 

 

Ok this may be a bit bitchy, but was anyone else getting the message that the husband hid the severity of his illness from her until a year into the relationship??

No, I didn't get that at all.  She knew he had the RA but the complications that were life-threatening came on gradually.  I didn't see him as hiding anything from her, and he seemed to be pretty supportive.

Edited July 15, 2015 by Suzysite

[Christina]

I had to turn channels when Heidi was slapping her in the face with those mitts and yelling, "You like being hit?" or something over and over. She seriously ruins this show for me. I meant to flip back and forth, but the next time I tuned in, Heidi was in her face about something else. Chris was much nicer when he had to call people out on things; you still believed he had their best interests at heart.

 

I hope she met her goals. I did hear that she was getting a Disney trip, and hope her family had a great time!

[freebie]

 

I think last night a cable employee made a mistake and loaded the tape for a Surrealist or Dada experimental movie instead of loading up the Extreme Weight Loss tape.

So. Much. Word. The whole episode was bizarre. I felt terrible for Jenn on so many levels. Despite everything on her plate, she still managed to lose the weight, even if she couldn't hit the milestones and despite the behavior of her whacked out trainers. Between Heidi smacking her around and Chris freaking out about how she just had to finish the half marathon, I wouldn't have blamed her for walking away and never coming back.

[DietCokeJunkie]

I wonder if the show provided some sort of nursing/medical support so that Jenn could finish?

[zxy556575]

And those are the cutest kids I think I've ever seen on my tv screen--please someone in Hollywood, snap them both up for a remake of Family Affair.

 

Cute enough to make me actually look up from the computer and think, "Wow Jenn and her husband sure made gorgeous children." And less kindly, "They don't get that from their father."

 

Am I skewing this in my mind or do the producers seem to go out of their way to cast tall people? Because then their final weight -- which most of the time is still kind of high -- is distributed better. I'm also tired of the pre-loss photograph: "Stand with your legs spread, point your toes to the side, pull your waistband down so that your gut rolls over, and hold your arms out stiffly at your sides."

Edited July 16, 2015 by lordonia

[gryphon]

I agree with MakeMeLaugh that this is the best and worst episode ever.  I wish Jenn had smacked Heidi across the face when she was hitting her. 

 

It is hard for me to believe that Jenn did not have any access to any kind of emotional/psychological help before this; I guess it could happen, but with the crises that she dealt with being a 911 operator-she probably had referral numbers of some kind for doctors, no?  But, it truly is hard to ask for help.  I can understand why she didn't.  I hope she continues a positive mental and physical life.

 

Shut up Heidi.  Just shut. Up.  

Edited July 16, 2015 by gryphon

[Litnit]

I loved that Jenn didn't make any of her milestone goals, but made her final goal.  That seemed more realistic to me than somebody losing 200 pounds in 3 months or whatever stupidity they've been pulling in previous episodes.  I also appreciated that she had a whole lot of other things going on in her life and this show wasn't her full time occupation because most people can't make working out a job.

 

Now, as someone who has run half marathons, and did a lot more running three children ago, I do love the running.  However, who decided that running / walking / collapsing a half marathon was the benchmark of being in shape?  She clearly wasn't ready to do that distance, and I call bullshit on it being a result of missing her goal by 12 lbs.  Most people in good shape can wake up and run 10km.  Running a half requires some specific training and I don't think people who haven't done that training are in less shape than others.  I guess it's an easy thing to show on TV, but it seems like an arbitrary benchmark, and recovering from it would ruin the 2nd half of her vacation.  LOL

[ali59]

Litnit: 

Now, as someone who has run half marathons, and did a lot more running three children ago, I do love the running.  However, who decided that running / walking / collapsing a half marathon was the benchmark of being in shape?  She clearly wasn't ready to do that distance, and I call bullshit on it being a result of missing her goal by 12 lbs.  Most people in good shape can wake up and run 10km.  Running a half requires some specific training and I don't think people who haven't done that training are in less shape than others.  I guess it's an easy thing to show on TV, but it seems like an arbitrary benchmark, and recovering from it would ruin the 2nd half of her vacation.  LOL

 

 I couldn't agree more!  I belong to a page on Facebook dedicated to curvy runners.  There are women there who weigh much more than Jenn did at that point and they run halfs and full marathons on a regular basis.  It was probably do more to her lack of proper training than her weight.

[4leafclover]

I am usually a huge supporter of this show, but this episode made me seriously question my support.  Since Jen missed both Phase 1 and Phase 2 goals by 14 and 12 pounds, it seems logical to me that the goals were set too far down for her, by I would say......oh, 12-14 pounds!  And to fat-shame her into finding something, anything as a reason for missing those goals just made me mad.  Apparently, after much soul-searching and a probable overnight shame fest, Jen was able to admit, with downcast eyes, that she ate half an avocado  more than she should have with her meals. So, that's why she missed her goal weights.  Instead of patting someone on the back for losing 78 pounds in the first 90 days of the program!  And to Heidi, who scoffed at the notion that not getting in all of your calories can slow down your weight loss.....my professional and degreed dietician  told me that is absolutely true.....it does slow down weight loss because your body cannot discern the difference between a diet and a crisis situation that warrants a slow down in loss of weight.  So it is important to get in all of your calories per day.  

 

Good for you Jen, and good luck to you and your family!

[Litnit]

program!  And to Heidi, who scoffed at the notion that not getting in all of your calories can slow down your weight loss.....my professional and degreed dietician  told me that is absolutely true.....it does slow down weight loss because your body cannot discern the difference between a diet and a crisis situation that warrants a slow down in loss of weight.  So it is important to get in all of your calories per day.  

 

Totally agree.  If you are starving yourself, your body is going to hold on to calories and slow the metabolism.  What are Heidi's qualifications?  

[springtime]

At one point I was thinking Jenn needed to be home, sitting on the couch (eating junk food) and enjoying every moment with her family.

[canaanite2]

 

As someone who has the same 3 diseases the husband has I was pretty shocked to hear it was terminal.  I looked up what he actually has and found he's not "dying from RA". but he has a severe case of spinal stenosis, a complication of RA, and many people have it with out the RA.  Wow.  Talk about scaring people with arthritis out of their wits!

 

I thought the "he has 3 years to live" talk didn't match up with his diagnoses, and you just confirmed that. I'm sure he suffers from chronic pain and other complications, which is terrible in and of itself. No need for the show to lead us to believe that RA and Sjogren's are death sentences akin to cancer. The facts probably go something like this: Doctor says IF you don't get surgery you MAY become paralyzed and COULD lose your life within 3 years. So ABC says:  He has 3 years to live. Very manipulative. I wonder if Jenn and her husband were surprised to hear about his death sentence when the watched the show. 

 

Does anyone think that Jenn's face looked better when she was over 200 pounds? I was shocked to find out she was 42. From the neck up, she looked about 34. With the weight loss, she looks her age, if not a little bit older. But that might have been the heavy makeup and over-processed hair. She looked like a castmember of Real Houswives. I'm thinking she looks better without the makeup and with more natural Wyoming-style hair, but still, a little fat is actually good for your face as you get older. 

 

Also, it has to be said, her little girl's eyes were stunning! 

 

 

And to Heidi, who scoffed at the notion that not getting in all of your calories can slow down your weight loss.....my professional and degreed dietician  told me that is absolutely true.....it does slow down weight loss because your body cannot discern the difference between a diet and a crisis situation that warrants a slow down in loss of weight.  So it is important to get in all of your calories per day.

 

Judging by Heidi's reaction, she's had many arguments with dieticians regarding this topic. She seems convinced that this is some sort of myth that fat people tell themselves and nobody, no matter how knowledgeable or educated, is ever going to change her mind. 

Edited July 18, 2015 by canaanite2

[Eeksquire]

 

What are Heidi's qualifications?

Heidi's main qualifications seem to be that she's married to Chris and recovered from an eating disorder.  Whatever other qualifications she may have as a trainer, she's certainly not a nutritionist, a dietician or a psychologist.

 

I'd like to get back to seeing more of Chris interact with these people - his wide-eyed panic at the missing of goals sometimes irritates me, but at least he seems to empathize with them and isn't so harsh.  (Or, let's face it: annoying. Also: let's set the make-up gun somewhere lower than "clown" at least while working out, mmkay?)